Inclined-plane railway



(No Model.)

.. R. COLLINS.

INOLINBD PLANE RAILWAY.

Patented Aug. 15, 1882.

No. 262.643. F

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

RICHARD COLLINS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

lNCLlNED-PLANE RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 262,643, dated August15, 1882.

' Application filed March 16, 1882.

' thereon, forming a part of this specification.

Figure 1 shows asection of the inclined-plane railway; Fig. 2, amodification of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 an enlarged view of the ascendingplane truck and car.

The object of this invention is to provide a system for operatingelevated railways, relatin g more especially to the movement ofstreetcars; and it consists of having a series of inclined planesarranged to form a continuous road, the cars todescend by force ofgravity, and are elevated or transferred from the lowest point on onesection to the highest point on the adjoining section by being drawn upa short ascending plane or by a direct lift, the exact arrangement andoperation of which will be hereinafter more fully described in detail.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the line of the ascending plane;B, the short ascending plane connecting the sections; C, archessupporting the road-bed, and D car or cars.

Fig. 1 shows a section of the inclined railway, which, by way ofillustration, we may suppose to be four blocks in length. The cars areshown in position at the highest and lowest points of elevation, thedescending sections being connected to form a continuous line by theshort ascending planes, the cars being elevated or transferred from onesection to the next by being drawn up the short ascending plane B, asmore clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The triangular trucka is a continuation of the track or road-bed, and on which the car isstopped at the lowest point of the descending plane. The rear wheels, a,n the truck a are of a much larger diameter than the front wheels, a forthe purpose of keeping the car in a horizontal plane, and the track onthe truck to have the same incline as the track proper. The truck carry-(No model.)

ing the car is drawn up by steam or other motive power through themedium of the chain or cable a one end of which is attached to the frontend of the truck a, and the opposite end being attached to the drum M,which is adapted to be rotated in either direction, so as to wind orunwind the cable a as may be required.

The short ascending plane B is provided with a number of automaticcatches, E, which form a part of the track, and are pressed down on alevel with the rest of the track by the pressure of the wheels. Thesecatches have a pivotal action, and are thrown into a locking positionback of the wheels when released from the pressure of the same by thesuspended weights F, all as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Thesecatches guard against the danger of the car running backward should anaccident occur to the elevating mechanism. The track on the truck isalso provided with the catches E, which are arranged to securely lockthe hind wheels of the car.

Fig. 2 shows another plan for elevating the cars. In place of the shortascending plane, the cars run onto the elevator-platform B at theterminus of each section, and are raised vertically to connect with thedescending track on the next section.

The cars used in connection with this road will be bow-shaped at thefront end, so as to meet with as little resistance from-the atmosphereas possible. rear on the side, there being no platform for passengers tostand on. The car will be controlled by suitable brake mechanism, whichwill permit of the car being stopped at any point. The stations will beat the terminus of each section of the road, where the motive power willbe located used in elevating the cars to the adjoining section.

The supports of the elevated road-bed may be of any particular form orconstruction, and may be much lighter than ordinarily used, from thefact that no engine is run over the track or other weight heavier thanthe ordinary car.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s

1. An inclined-plane railway consisting of The doors will open at the 1a series of sections, as described, connected 2. In an inclined-planerailway, the combiby a short ascending plane, forming a continunation,with the car or cars D, of the triangu- 1o 011s line or road, incombination with a truck lar truck a, the series of catches E, and theor series of trucks operated by suitable motive weights F, substantiallyas described.

power, whereby the cars are transferred from RICHARD COLLINS.

the lowest point or terminus of one section to Witnesses:

the highest point of the succeeding section, EDWIN BLACKMAN,

substantially as set forth. L. B. OOUPLAND.

